iPhone Detects Blood Sugar, Without Blood

Researchers at Northeastern University have developed a new way for iPhones to measure blood sugar levels without drawing blood, showcasing the increasingly sophisticated applications of mobile devices.

Professor Heather Clark at the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences modified an iPhone to measure blood using "non-invasively monitor biomarkers." Instead of drawing blood, the system requires a person to be injected with a small amount of "nanoparticle solution," which glows when exposed to molecules such as glucose.

Then, an iPhone --- equipped with a special battery-powered case, camera lens filter and LED array -- reads the levels of fluorescence and sends the results to a computer for analysis. Clark plans to create an iPhone app to analyze nanoparticle data.

If the technology becomes commercialized, users may soon iPhones to track other "biomarkers," such as sodium and even blood oxygen levels.

"Let's say you have medication with a very narrow therapeutic range," she said, "you have to try it a dosage and see what happens."

Using the modified iPhone system, Clark suggests people may also monitor the effects of new drugs in the bloodstream in real-time.

The technology, though barrier-breaking, isn't alone in its field, as the market for mobile medical apps continues to grow. Other iPhone apps can analyze stroke victims' brains, read EKG scans and even detect malaria and dengue fever.

There's also an app to detect melanoma called Skin Scan, which snaps a photo of suspicious spots and analyzes them to determine if a visit to a dermatologist is warranted.

As medical apps become more popular and utilized in the medical community, the FDA is looking to regulate the mobile tools used in hospitals and clinics to ensure quality control.

"We wanted to make sure that we are consistent in regulating medical devices so nothing has changed," said Bakul Patel, the FDA's policy advisor. "If somebody makes a stethoscope on an iPhone, it doesn't change the level of oversight we have of a stethoscope."

The plan may irk some developers reluctant to wait on FDA approval, though it may help standardize medical care across the country.

Regardless, technology like Clark's app will keep growing, along with increased demand for medical apps revolutionizing health-care by making it more accessible and even economical.